Following the Moon
by funkypudding
Summary: (Moon Legacy Book 3) Artemis is still stuck on Olympus battling her split personality, leaving the rest of the Hunters to rescue Harmony from the traitor Jewel. The problem is that the Hunters have been divided ever since Phoebe revealed her heritage. It doesn't help that new Hunter, Sam, holds a secret so big that it could push their worlds completely out of balance.
1. Chapter 1

Ariel

The lightning flashes over the girls as they stand on the perfectly manicured lawn before the large grey mansion. A tall man with dark hair walks out of the house to meet them, doing exactly as I asked him to. Erik has always been one to see what needs to be down.

"You think they're after Harmony?" I glance up at the man with the crashing waves beating him from behind. He looks as young as Erik, the only thing betraying his age being his eyes. The blue orbs always seem to flash with years of anger and resentment. I brush back my fiery red hair, the strands sticking to my fingers from the salty sea.

"Of course, Father. Why else would they seek out my help?" I squint back up the beach at where my home stands. The Hunters are being ushered through the front doors, each looking the same to me because of their similar outfits. I only recognize a few from Triton's descriptions. Thalia is the one with the glistening circlet on her head and the horrid expression on her face, the great daughter of Zeus. Triton had pointed out the taller girl with golden hair earlier. She was the Roman daughter of Apollo named Phoebe, the only demigod to know of both aspects. Another girl stands out to me, but I know Triton would not be happy to know she is there.

"Go talk to them." Triton booms, his voice deep as he starts to sink into the water. "If they have any idea of where Harmony is, make sure you report immediately." His command chills me as I remember our deal made previously to the Hunters arriving. I swim as quickly as I can to the sandy beach. I drag myself from the water, drying enough to get my legs back.

"You can do this." I whisper under my breath. My feet drag as I scale the dunes to get to my home. The sun dress I wear drifts in the storm's wind towards the ocean, as if it longed to go back. I shake my head to rid my mind of any thoughts of swimming in the big blue, greeting all kinds of fish, riding the dolphins, singing in the coral reefs, being my father's favorite daughter again... I collapse on the sand of the tallest dune as I realize that I am slowly walking back towards the beckoning water. I can't go back. Not now. I can't leave Erik. He is my life now and forever will be.

I struggle to stand and find my way back to the mansion. I could go back to the ocean and not have to betray Harmony, but I would never see Erik again. Triton would take away my legs forever and my periodical water adventures would become a permanent imprisonment. One of the tall French doors in the front of my home swings open to reveal the smiling face of my husband.

"Ariel! How was your swim?" Erik wraps his arms around me, his head buried in my hair. "The Hunters are here. It's still your choice." He whispers and backs up so that he holds me at arms length, so I had no choice but to look into his sparkling eyes. They sparkle from unshed tears. Fear and longing lie in his expression. I would have started bawling if it weren't for the peeping eyes of the Hunters around the corner. I don't deserve someone as special as Erik. He doesn't want me to leave and I almost did to save Harmony. I take a deep rattling breath.

"It was great." I act along. "I decided to go ahead and work it out with the fish today." Erik's expression couldn't be brighter.

"We got company." He takes a step back to introduce the Hunters. I smile as he points each one out. I don't speak a word until he points put the girl I know Triton would not be happy to see. The one Erik calls by a different name. Her pleading eyes tell me not to reveal her.

"It's good to see you again, _Sam_." I play along.

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**AGH! NEW STORY! So exciting! I know Ariel isn't a Hunter, but I felt that the first chapter should be special(: REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

Thalia

Ever since Artemis visited, I had tried not to explode on Phoebe. How dare she keep such a large secret from me? Especially when we saw Jason. I trusted her and she just let him go off, to what could have been death. Waiting for Ariel to return took even longer than I thought it would. Her husband, Erik, had explained that she was swimming and left us alone in the living room. We end up sitting on two couches facing each other. Directly across from me, the liar herself sits with an impassive expression. I was debating about attacking her with my hunting knives when Ariel and Erik finally make an appearance, talking about fish. Every Hunter stands out of respect. Erik stumbles with our names, managing to get them right in the end.

"It's nice to see you again, _Sam_." Ariel exclaims in what seems to be a joking tone, Sam's name being accentuated more than any other word.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Ariel?" Sa, returns similarly. Both girls have wide grins on their faces, so big that they almost seem forced. An awkward moment of silence follows as the Hunter and the mermaid stare each other down.

"Um, why have you come to speak with Ariel?" Erik butts in, cutting through the tension between the girls.

"We need to find Harmony." Ariel actually snorts at that while Erik just looks grim.

"So do we. I left her for ten minutes and she had disappeared when I came back." The mermaid's attitude changes a little bit. Guilt swarms through her eyes as she goes back to that painful memory.

"Where did you leave her?" I blurt out, causing both Ariel and her husband to stare back at me. Ariel's eyes flit up to the circlet on my head.

"You are Thalia, daughter of Zeus." She states as if I had asked who I was.

"Yes I am, but-"

"You're the girl who was a tree." She says, still continuing with my life story it seems. I really don't want to talk about my tree. Not many happy thoughts from then.

"This isn't about-"

"And after being waken up by Percy Jackson and his Fleece, you became a Hunter to escape the Great Prophecy, the old one that is." Where was she going with this?

"Yes, I know-"

"That means," She pauses after yet another interruption, "You don't be necessarily want to be a Hunter and now that the great Percy Jackson has tackled that prophecy for you, you can leave the Hunters and begin the life that you always wanted." Silence covers the room like a heavy blanket, stares being tossed between myself and Ariel. Her point takes root deep inside of me, in my core, my soul. Why do I have to be a Hunter now? I could get away from people like Phoebe and I could escape this life as a sworn leader. I could go back and try to fit in at camp under Percy Jackson's leadership. I could lead a more normal life and settle down later on if I survive. I glance at the Hunters, even at Phoebe.

"This," I start slowly, "isn't what I came to talk about." The girls' eyes all swivel back to Ariel, who lifts an eyebrow at my comment.

"Yes, you're right. You came to talk about Harmony." Ariel frowns darkly, her gaze shifting to Sam for a moment.

"Where is she?" I repeat, trying not to let my temper control me.

"The Chain. She was on an island in the Chain." A startled gasp erupts from Sam's direction, sparks of recognition practically dancing out of her eyes.

"The Chain?" Crystal asks curiously from the back of our little group. The mermaid points a long finger at Sam.

""Ask your friend here. She should know a little about it." With a toss of her bright hair, Ariel turns and stiffly walks out of the room, Erik following. All the Hunters' eyes turn to Sam once Ariel leaves.

"What's the Chain, Sam?" I ask, leaving another question to wander in the air and through everyone else's thoughts. Sam's eyes shift between each of us before landing on me. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes.

_Why in Tartarus would Sam know about something like this?_


End file.
